Through our Outreach Committee, St Francis awards grants to a number of worthy, nonprofit organizations. Our primary focus is on organizations and programs that serve the most vulnerable and disadvantaged members of Stamford and neighboring communities. Below are the 2022 recipients with details and videos about each organization.

FILLING IN THE BLANKS

Filling in the Blanks fights childhood hunger by providing children in need with meals on the weekends. This non-profit was founded by mothers and community activists, Shawnee Knight and Tina Kramer, who created it as a way to marry their loves of community, children, food and charity. It started in 2013 and has expanded to include over 100 sites throughout Fairfield and Westchester Counties and has delivered over TWO MILLION-weekend meals to children in low-income households. Please click on WEBSITE and VIDEO to learn more about this amazing organization.

WEBSITE VIDEO
AMERICARES FREE CLINICS

Americares Free Clinics provide quality health care to Connecticut’s low-income uninsured residents while treating each patient with dignity and respect.  The delivery of high-quality health care is our primary goal – keeping people healthy and out of the hospital so that they are better able to take care of themselves and their families.  Our clinics are staffed by both paid employees and volunteers and draw upon the resources of community hospitals, laboratories, specialists, and pharmacies to ensure access to a comprehensive health care delivery system.  Americares Free Clinics is a source of pride and enrichment to the communities it serves.  Since 1994, health care valued at $141 million has been delivered to more than 28,000 patients.  Click WEBSITE and VIDEO buttons to learn more about the organization.

WEBSITE VIDEO
CHILD GUIDANCE CENTER

The Child Guidance Center of Southern Connecticut (CGC) is dedicated to improving the mental and behavioral health of children and teens through treatment, education, and community support. Founded in 1954, the Child Guidance Center of Southern CT (CGC) provides specialized outpatient services to children (birth through 18) to treat psychological, behavioral, developmental, social and familial problems. CGC supports children and their families from Stamford, New Canaan, Darien, and Greenwich. CGC has a longstanding commitment to meeting the needs of children from low-income, uninsured, and underinsured families, regardless of their ability to pay and immigration status.

CGC has two offices conveniently located in Stamford and an office in Greenwich. In addition to in-person treatment, telehealth services are also available. To learn more about CGC’s wide array of programs and services, please click VIDEO and WEBSITE

WEBSITE VIDEO
BACK TO SCHOOL SHOP

Back to School Shop is an all-volunteer organization which provides economically disadvantaged elementary school children in Stamford with the opportunity to “shop” for brand new clothes, backpacks and school supplies for free, in a one-day event prior to the start of school. Many local children are unable to purchase necessary school supplies, a warm winter coat or sneakers that fit. Giving these children the opportunity to choose their own brand new items, like their more fortunate peers, helps build the confidence and enthusiasm they need for a successful start to the school year. Since its first event in 2015, Back to School Shop has served nearly 2,500 children with the help of hundreds of community volunteers.

Click VIDEO below to see a video from Back to School Shop’s inaugural event, and WEBSITE for additional information.  

WEBSITE VIDEO
INSPIRICA

Inspirica is one of the largest providers of services to individuals and families who are homeless and those facing housing insecurity in CT and the largest in lower Fairfield County. Each night, they house approximately 475 people and each year they serve more than 3,000 people!

Inspirica operates 12 facilities in lower Fairfield County and provides an extensive array of support services. It is one of a few organizations in the nation that address the physical components of these issues and the underlying root causes on a single, powerful end-to-end platform.

Click the buttons below for Inspirica's website and a video about their work.

 

WEBSITE VIDEO
BUILDING ONE COMMUNITY

At Building One Community, their programs Educate, Employ, and Empower immigrants and Engage the entire community.

From English language learning to job skills training to family and legal support, these programs fulfill their mission of successfully supporting immigrants and their families to integrate into a new community.

As B1C celebrates more than a decade, they're excited to support more immigrants from more places. B1C invites you to explore the many programs, services, and volunteer opportunities B1C offers and join them in Building One Community that makes us all stronger.

To learn more about Building One Community and its mission impact, click WEBSITE below.

Click VIDEO below - you just might recognize some St Francis people!

WEBSITE VIDEO
LAUREL HOUSE

Laurel House provides mental health resources to people coping with mental illness, and their families, across numerous communities in and around Connecticut. Resources to Recover is a robust array of integrated services and expertise helping people along the path of mental health recovery. Although more than 80% of our program participants are living with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or major depression, research supports that people can and do recover from the worst effects of serious mental illness.

Click WEBSITE for additional info and click VIDEO to view the latest info about their services.

WEBSITE VIDEO
NEW COVENANT CENTER (NCC)

The mission of New Covenant Center is to provide a nutritious meal to all those who are hungry. By creating a safe, warm and compassionate environment, they are taking the first steps toward empowering men, women and children to reach their full potential and regain their dignity and self-respect. New Covenant Center could do none of these things without the support of its many hardworking and faithful volunteers! Thanks to you all!

Click WEBSITE for more information. Click VIDEO for a talk given by John Gutman, Executive Director of New Covenant Center.

WEBSITE VIDEO
PACIFIC HOUSE

It has been demonstrated through extensive research that providing homeless individuals with affordable permanent homes – with some residents linked with supportive services - costs no more (and most frequently as much as 50% less) than the emergency shelter-based model of care that exists today - while steadily reducing the total number of homeless individuals!

Based on this understanding, Pacific House has advanced its vision from being a provider of emergency shelter services to being an active community leader in the development of affordable supportive housing.

Click  WEBSITE for more info. Click VIDEO for a talk given by Rafael Pagan, Jr., the Executive Director of Pacific House, Inc.

WEBSITE VIDEO
STARFISH CONNECTION

Starfish Connection, Inc. is a 501c3 corp. initiated by Judith & David Martin in 2008. It is an all-volunteer org addressing Stamford’s academic achievement gap via long-term mentoring, after-school and summer programs, and educational support to promising students from the city’s underserved families. Mentors are paired with students to provide these resources from grades 3 - 12. Their goal is to ensure that these students reach their potential and achieve their dreams of attending competitive 4-year colleges, breaking the cycle of poverty for themselves and future generations.

Read more about their Mission & Goals by clicking SLIDES. Click VIDEO for a talk given by Donna Wolff, PhD, Executive Director of Starfish Connection, Inc.

SLIDES VIDEO
HOUSING DEVELOPMENT FUND (HDF)

HDF is a Stamford based nonprofit serving the community for 30 years. HDF has helped 3,200 households become 1st time homeowners, of which 410 purchased homes in Stamford. HDF has counseled 6,800 households to prepare them for homeownership. The nonprofit provides foreclosure intervention counseling and assistance to CT in the administration of rent relief for households impacted by COVID.

HDF launched a community land trust development adding 23 affordable condos to Stamford's South End neighborhood because expanding the housing stock is also part of the solution to the lack of affordable housing options.

Click WEBSITE to see their posted information. Click VIDEO for a talk given by Joan Carty, President & CEO of HDF.

WEBSITE VIDEO